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The Arc Responds to House Republican Leadership Plans to Repeal the Affordable Care Act and Decimate the Medicaid Program

“Politicians are being very cavalier with peoples’ lives as they attempt to pay for the repeal of the Affordable Care Act by slashing Medicaid funding for states. Regardless of how this is packaged, it doesn’t change the reality that this proposal will have a dire impact on people with intellectual and developmental disabilities who rely on Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act for their health care, community supports, and as a way to live independently in their communities.

“This proposal suggests paying for the ACA repeal by changing the way Medicaid is funded. Giving states a choice between per capita caps and block grants would be devastating for people with disabilities and would also negatively impact already cash-strapped states. The talking points sugar coat it, but the reality is simple – less money would be available despite the fact the needs of people who rely on Medicaid have not decreased. Inevitably, what we will see is a decline in services for those reliant on Medicaid as the financial burden is passed on to states.

“A per capita cap is a financing tool that would result in significant cuts to Medicaid. As it works today, Federal Medicaid funding is based on the actual costs of providing services to Medicaid beneficiaries. Currently, as costs go up or numbers of people needing services increase, funding grows as well. A per capita cap or block grant would limit the Federal government’s payment to states with a preset formula that does not take into consideration growth in cost or need. The bottom line is that people will lose vital benefits and services that support their basic human right to a life in the community. That is a fact that elected officials need to understand and it is exactly why they must oppose this proposal.

“It is morally reprehensible to use Medicaid to pay for the repeal of the ACA. People who have serious health conditions and disabilities require more than the bare bones coverage being proposed. For those reliant on Medicaid, the ability to access appropriate quality care could mean the difference between life and death. There is too much at stake for us to stand by while politicians show complete disregard for the needs of low income constituents with disabilities, adults, older Americans, and children. We oppose the plan on the table and will work with Members of Congress to find a solution that actually takes into consideration the needs of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities,” said Peter Berns, CEO of the The Arc.

The Republican plan leaves many questions unanswered. It is not addressed whether insurance companies will be able to return to insurance policies that discriminate against people with disabilities and/or pre-existing conditions. It does not address whether insurance companies will be able to cap health care services or use health status to increase premiums. It does not address whether the critical health care services such as rehabilitative and habilitative devices and services, prescription drugs, mental health services, maternity coverage, and others will be available in the health plans. These protections, and many other critical provisions in the ACA, helped people with disabilities gain access to affordable and comprehensive health insurance. The meager solutions in the Republican plan that rely on high risk pools and limited tax credits are insufficient to help people with disabilities meet their healthcare needs

The Arc advocates for and serves people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD), including Down syndrome, autism, Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders, cerebral palsy and other diagnoses. The Arc has a network of over 650 chapters across the country promoting and protecting the human rights of people with I/DD and actively supporting their full inclusion and participation in the community throughout their lifetimes and without regard to diagnosis.

Editor’s Note: The Arc is not an acronym; always refer to us as The Arc, not The ARC and never ARC. The Arc should be considered as a title or a phrase.

4 thoughts on “The Arc Responds to House Republican Leadership Plans to Repeal the Affordable Care Act and Decimate the Medicaid Program”

Please let me know of anything I can do to help stop this terrible mess the Republicans are making. I agree with the Arc. My nephew and many other special needs people will suffer if the Affordable Care Act and other essential health benefits are cut.

The Affordable Care Act has damaged a great deal of families due to high premiums in receiving care. The plan is not affordable to many. I believe we do need to relook at this plan and revamp to see how it can help our love ones with disabilities and our aging population.

However, as for Medicaid, if we just did away with all the illegal people that are getting full benefits as our U.S. citizens get, I believe we would save millions of dollars and the Medicaid plan would not be in jeopardy of revamping our funding. The other issue is the fraud cases in the Medicaid Program that our government and the states overlook. These 2 problems (Illegals People receiving Medicaid and the fraud in Medicaid) contribute drastically to the Medicaid problems. If we look at these 2 problems and advocate to fight against them we would save Medicaid for our children with disabilities and our senior population.